Leadership Lessons from Earth, Wind and Fire

Are you at the point in your life where giving experiences as gifts instead of “stuff” as gifts is the norm? Giving stuff isn’t bad, I’m always game for a new pair of comfy jammies or shoes! You know what else I like, spa days, dinner with my husband and friends, concerts with other adults (our children are 6 and 3, so anything outside the Disney realm has high value!).

We have friends we like to give experiences to on their birthday and in this case, it was tickets to see Earth, Wind, and Fire. For those of you not familiar with the band, they are iconic group that transcends genre and decades. And I gotta tell you, it was an epic experience celebrating with our friends and family.

It got me thinking as we all screamed and shouted to the strains of Boogie Wonderland, there are some great leadership lessons to be had here.

1. Will your brand last 40 years? Is it Inclusive? This concert included at least four generations and people from all walks of life. Will what we’re doing transcend generations and every walk of life?

2. Does your leadership style inspire people to want to join in? And then grow into their own style? Or are you a leader who only wants it done his/her way? Out of the 12 or so folks in the group, 3 are from the original group, the rest are folks that joined along the way. They made the performance their own and there was a palpable sense of pride among the group. These songs are 40 years old and yet, pride and appreciation beamed though every song.

3. Fun! These guys were up there, groovin’, laughing, and overall having a blast! It made us, the crowd, have fun too. Do you have fun with your team? Is it part of your culture? Personally, fun is hard for me, so I make sure to have people on my team that specialize in fun and we make it happen.